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Scrabble/Playing the X

The letter X goes best on a triple letter score, especially if you can count that square twice. To maximize your chances of doing this, make sure you know all the two-letter words containing X:

AX, EX, OX, XI, XU

When you get an X, look for a triple-letter square that will allow you to play the X in two words simulataneously. They do not have to both be two-letter words, but the chances that one of them will have to be a two-letter word are pretty good. The X alone in this play is worth 48 points, so it's almost as good as a bingo.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

1

3×
WS

2×
LS

3×
WS

2×
LS

3×
WS

2

2×
WS

3×
LS

3×
LS

2×
WS

3

2×
WS

2×
LS

2×
LS

2×
WS

4

2×
LS

2×
WS

2×
LS

2×
WS

2×
LS

5

2×
WS

R1

E1

A1

P3

6

3×
LS

3×
LS

A1

X8

3×
LS

7

2×
LS

2×
LS

N1

2×
LS

8

3×
WS

H4

A1

T1

I1

N1

G2

2×
LS

3×
WS

9

2×
LS

2×
LS

E1

2×
LS

10

3×
LS

3×
LS

R1

3×
LS

3×
LS

11

2×
WS

2×
WS

12

2×
LS

2×
WS

2×
LS

2×
WS

2×
LS

13

2×
WS

2×
LS

2×
LS

2×
WS

14

2×
WS

3×
LS

3×
LS

2×
WS

15

3×
WS

2×
LS

3×
WS

2×
LS

3×
WS

In the example above, the X was played alongside RANGER and REAP (making the words AX and EX) for 50 points.

It is more common to find a suitable triple-letter square for this than it is to find a suitable triple-word square, partly because the triple-word squares are in the corners or at the edge of the board, and partly because they do not usually remain open for very long (as triple-letter squares do).